Which is the best search engine? Top search engines review
There are some days I spend 8-10 hours at work using different search engines for my company's SEO (Search Engine Optimization) projects. So I do consider myself an accurate judge of search engine quality.
Here are my search engine rankings.
1) Google Pros: Still the undisputed king of the search engines and rightfully so. Not only are the ranks relevant using an advanced algorithm, but the results are refreshed and tap into new blog posts, wikis, news, forums, videos, images, and other sources. The interface and display is simple. Gives individual webpages Page Rank scores, so a relevant and popular page from a blog may actually be indexed and ranked higher than the home page of an entire site.
Cons: Will "Pagerank 0" websites out of its search engine for violating their advertising polices, even if the page (and referral page) gets a ton of real hits. It's like saying A-Rod's homeruns don't count because he used steroids. The entire search engine and related applications are used to enhance Google Adsense revenue. It's a porn haven.
But the truth is all of the other search engines can't even compare to Google's organic and up-to-date web results. The drop off to #2 is huge. Most of the other search engines use old school Lycos and AltaVista algorithms: older pages are more valuable to them, as are # of sites linked to it. That means outdated college research articles that haven't been updated since 1998 are on Page 1. Most search engines drop the ball on blogs, newspapers, and forums as well.
I will use a very simple demonstration (a fun example) to express my point: here are the search engine results for my niece Jola Besana. Jola just started using the Internet 1-2 years ago, and she's 11 years old, doesn't live in the USA, and doesn't have a history yet, so it should be quite a challenge for a search engine, as she only uses social networking and I blogged about her. Here are my search engine test results (keep in mind, skew.dailyskew.com has been submitted to them previously).
Rules: I typed Jola Besana (no quotes) in Windows Internet Explorer, did not sign in, and displayed 10 items per page (this is the most widely used search engine browser and setting):
1 ) Google Page 1: Contains my DailySkew tribute to Jola Besana, her Friendster page, and an online game she signed up for. Another Jola comes up, and some of Dailyskew's archived pages (like our PSA for Jolan Besana). All and all, this page (and Page 3) has most of the pages about her.
2) MSN Bing Page 1 (formely MSN Live Search): It picked up my tribute page as item #1 and has a bunch of archives pages by month from various DailySkew pages, but doesn't list direct link to the permanent tribute link address, just DailySkew's archived labels and dates. The rest of the results from the other pages have nothing to do with her. Her Friendster page and online game are not listed.
3) Spock Page 1: Much hyped site claims to be the ultimate people finder. It did get my Jola tribute page, and some archives. Missed Friendster, online game, and even the other Jola Besana on Facebook. Riddled with ads that make you pay money for background checks.
4) Cuil Page 1: Cuil's slogan: "Search 124,426,951,803 web pages". Good news: Jola tribute is item #1 and it actually picked up an Enneagram page I had (but as an archive), something no other engine grabbed. Bad news: nothing else, and only 11 pages total (most of them were totally out there). No Friendster or Facebook..come on, guys.
5) Ask.com Page 1 (formely AskJeeves): Lists DailySkew archive labels and dates, not the actual post. The problem with listing archive labels is that they constantly change. For example, it picked up the "crime" label from the Original DailySkew. We used that label when Jola's dad was captured by Somalian pirates. However, any new "crime" article would take over that link. The other Jola from Facebook appeared like the other search engine, but Ask.com had nothing else relevant to my Jola.
6) Yahoo Page 1: DailySkew is listed 3 times, but Yahoo did not index the relevant pages, they display archive pages and articles that are not related to Jola (the engine is seeing the "previous posts" links). If I didn't call my post "Jola Besana" nothing would have come up. Yahoo did not return the correct results. The mini-life game Jola signed up for was on Page 3, as the last entry in total. Friendster is nowhere to be seen.
SHUTOUTS:
Exalead Page 1: The #2 search engine recommended by colleges had nothing except 2-3 PDFs that were incomprehensible.
Open Directory Page 1: "DMOZ" is run by high-brow volunteer Internet editors and critics. I guess Jola's not relevant enough. 0 results.
Wolfram|Alpha Page 1: Hyped by DrudgeReport and the MEDIA- this was supposed to be better than Google in terms of compiling the world's data. This is what I got after numerous attempts of finding out who Jola is: "Wolfram|Alpha isn't sure what to do with your input. "
ChaCha Page 1: You have to sign up to use the search. Pass.
Yahoo! Glue Page 1: (all you need, all in one place.): Nothing.
No search engine had Jola's Multiply website, which is linked to her two Friendster pages. Not one site had her images. Search engines still aren't there yet in terms of using their spiders to crawl links and use better context related links. There's no AI. The burden must be on the writer or website designer to make each page SEO'ed with keywords, cross-links, create a sitemap xml file and upload, and submit manually to each search engine. That being said, Google indexes the best.
Here is a video featuring Lorien Technologies microfiche scanning. It shows how to convert COM fiche to images using a Mekel. In this era of storefront websites, microfilm scams, subcontracting overseas, and RFP bid protests, it's nice to know that the folks at Lorien have been partnering with companies, organizations, resellers, and governments since 1997. Lorien Technologies is a name that you can trust in the microfilm scanning industry. No microfiche conversion project is too big for Lorien.
Joseph Anastasio, 55, passed away on 6/6/2009 in Florida.
I first met Joe in 1999 at work. He was quite a character. He had great stories about his experiences in life, enough to write a book, major motion picture, and HBO ongoing series.
He learned new computer technology very quickly, and even though he had health issues and was late in life in terms of learning computers, he quickly became one of the most productive employees in the company.
He had pride, was competitve, and was active until the end. I saw Joe at the end of May of this year, probably a week or so before he died. He said he was keeping busy. He was concerned about his wife's health more than his own.
Joe always said great things about his wife, and was extremely proud of his children. He loved his dogs, too.
From what he had told me about his health, he had beaten doctor's projections by years and years. He was a fighter his whole life.
I hope his family is able to cope with his absense.
Please read my article on Enneagram Type Ones if you are unfamiliar with that Enneagram personality types. The following are brief sketches of real Ones that I have known personally..their names have been changed, but we can use their life stories to better understand the Type Ones and ourselves. Note the One patterns and motivations. If you are a Type One perhaps you can use these people's stories to better understand yourself.
Barbara- Latin female early 30's from a Latin American country who came to the U.S. when she was a girl. Divorced from a common law marriage. Two kids. Animal lover. Strict vegan (vegetarian). Very thin. Holistic remedies- anti-medicine, anti-toothpaste, anti-deodorant. Eco-friendly: conserves energy, 100% green, won't flush toilet if just urine. Raised from strict Catholic upbringing, dabbled between atheism and Jesus, but maintained her moral belief code.
Victim of spousal abuse (physical and mental). Self-esteem zero. Very fearful. Drama queen. Bi-sexual, and feels more comfortable being a lesbian. Relationships with men have been HOT and COLD and co-dependent. Longs for male romance but pushes away. Financial: poor, always needs roommates. Work: steady- works for local government (health field) and knows all the free programs to help her. Doesn't like being judged by her parents, but freely judges others. Enjoys asking personal questions to total strangers, and is probably too trusting. Dark humor. Bites nails. Wants sympathy for being a martyr. Possibly manic-depressive.
Low creative output, but very active and book-learned. Will refuse to lose a debate, and will argue non-stop, to the point of labeling others and not speaking to them. Big time critic.
Paula: White female in her 80's. A widow with a grown son and grandchildren. She had lost another son when he was young. Very strict diet to the point of being too limiting: she says she can't eat bananas, bread, and other regular and generally nutritious items; her doctors agreed with her and put her on this diet. She is sickly thin. Very traditional with her Jewish upbringing- observes the holidays, but does not go to temple. No drugs, no cheating, law abiding, 100% straight-laced.
Was divorced back in the day because her husband was a traveling gambler. Survived the Great Depression, but was indoctrinated to save money. All of her friends can't believe how frugal she is. She and her husband had amassed tens of thousands (if not more) of dollars, but she refused to spend it, and refused to buy "luxury" items, such as new glasses or a better hearing aid for her late husband or new clothes. She's been known to haggle with coupons, and will divide tip and tax if eating out with members of his volunteer organization. A martyr but wants no sympathy.
Criticizes friends, second-guesses their decisions, and applies her Spock-like unemotional logic to her friends that would rather be supported emotionally. Gets along with younger people she trusts. Clean freak and afraid of germs- very uncomfortable to sit down on her couch if you are a visitor. Mets fan since Day One. Financial: Filthy rich but won't spend a dime. Work: Retired teacher, worked her entire life. Possibly obsessive compulsive.
Jon (with 9 wing): Latin male in his early 50's who was raised in a Latin American country and came here as a boy. Divorced and re-married. One child under new marriage, and one step-child. Loved them to death. Came from a very strict upbringing, and complied with obeying authority with no questions asked. No drugs, no crimes. His appearance and macho behavior betray a lack of confidence on the inside when it comes to the English language and having enough knowledge or skills when it comes to certain things.
100% active in sports and athletics. Can beat people half his age. Opened his heart to Jesus thanks to his new wife when he was around 40+. His spiritual side is always there and he is like a pastor, but he is able to turn off his emotions at work or with personal relationships. Known be a real hardass. Very frugal, but winds up spending a bunch of money but has no choice since he lives with a big family, with mostly females. No choice.
Master of words of wisdom, proper procedures, logic, the right way, and cliches, but sometimes becomes hypocritical and frustrated when he can't apply them in real life. Generally does not lose his temper and is extremely patient. Realizes that he is not perfect and tries to grow, although he doesn't tell people this. Actually very self-aware, but only expresses his self-critiques, doubts, and fears to his wife.
Old school belief systems and has high standards, and a clear view of right vs wrong. Finance: Upper middle-class but with tons of debt and expenses with such a large family. Work: Extremely stable production manager in California. It could be argued he's a workaholic. Does not miss work unless extremely ill or his wife wants to go on vacation.
Abused and killed animals as a kid, sees animals as being made for man with no souls. Sensitive to criticism and is highly competitive, but won't admit it to anyone; he loves to dish out criticism as well. Bites his nails, and is very self-conscious, if not vain. Hates dirt and filth.
Always strives for the ideal and perfection, and never gives up. Sometimes falls into standard human temptations and negative emotions, in which he uses the Bible to get the answers he needs to become a better person. One of the most healthy Ones I had the privileged of knowing.
Cynthia: White female in her 60's. Born in the mid-west from a strict family who forced her to go to church, she embraced it and has followed all the religious rules to this day. Obeys and respects all authority, and doesn't approve of expressions of individuality (such as athletes making so much money). Married and loyal. Gives to charity, community service, and goes above-and-beyond when it comes to helping those in need. Very trusting, if not naive. Weird sense of humor. Top notch human being, and great hostess.
Very thin but enjoys cooking recipes. Adopted a child when she was younger, but the kid rebelled against her and her husband, and she was unable to reform him- even after dozens of chances he continued to break the law and rebel against all authority and use people for his selfish needs.
Clean freak- possibly obsessive compulsive, especially with correcting spelling and grammar. Very active and friendly. Financial: Lower upper middle class. Work: Retired teacher.
Nancy- White female in her early 50's. Was adopted by a rich family, and enjoyed being an American Princess. Very into the material world. Loves photography and art. A post-modern college graduate. There's no spiritual bone in her body- everything is about money, money, money. Known to hurl cutting insults at people, without realizing or caring...or apologizing. Very outspoken and critical. Highly competitive with her sister and anyone else in her tax bracket or higher. Legalistic. On the other side of the coin, she can be very personable and caring, and is a hard worker and fantastic hostess. Finance: Upper class, always was dependent on super rich parents. Puts pressure on her husband to generate high income. Work: School teacher.
Married with one child, who is spoiled just like she was/is. Loves to cook and eventually gained weight as she aged, due to stress (father sick, marriage, child, health). Very patient and puts up with a lot of crap from her husband and kid.
Sameer- Male in his 30's. Born in India, raised in New Jersey. Very competitive, nerdy, geeky, and with a black humor. Very reliable and consistent. Later became a workaholic in an engineering business. Extremely productive. Stays active and busy, and has side-hobbies. Generally shy and reserved, but opinionated if you ask him something. Can be sarcastic. Married his first "girlfriend", who was the opposite of him. Was it love or lust? We may never know for sure, since it's a taboo topic and he's not very expressive to acquaintances. Has a child, whom he loves. Has a system of morality that has steered him free from crime, and can rationalize things to fit his world view. Has a very small circle of friends, as his life revolves around work and his kid. Falls a sleep a lot. Financial: Solid and stable middle class, although like many of the Ones in this case study, it's never enough. Work: His life.
Valeria: Deceased female who immigrated from Europe to the U.S. when she was a teenager. Married young, was 100% loyal, drug free, crime-free, and was never educated. She was a strict parent, and obeyed her husband. Enjoyed being a house-wife but worked in a factory when needed during the Depression and whenever her husband asked her to. Protective of her family, but did not express love in a motherly way, and was known to be frugal, highly offensive, and outspoken. Not friendly, but loved to socialize. Liked community center and staying busy. Afraid of animals. Highly superstitious- almost like a gypsy. Loved to cook and was thin. Extremely active, always walked miles every day. Finance: Poverty level, did not like to spend money she had, and made due with what she had. Work: Domestic.
Melissa (with 2 wing): Female in her 20's, born and raised in Long Island, with parents that were Jewish and Christian. Parents were both in 2nd marriages, and there was a lot of Jerry Springer drama going on as a kid. Used to quote the Bible, and judged others but she was a party girl- sex, drugs, and techno music- all staring as a teenager. Really came off as two-faced, and she was- literally; all of her life she had 1 vs 2 conflicts- logic vs emotion; rules vs feelings.
Had an abusive boyfriend who sold cocaine. She was not educated, self-critical, had zero self-esteem, but attacked others to build herself up. Dressed like a slut for attention and knew how to manipulate base men. Tried to reform bad boys and pull good boys down. Never married but had long engagements (during which she would cheat, but deny it to everyone except her party girlfriends). Did not get along with other women- cat fight. Tattle-tail, liar, thief, backstabber, jealous, scheming, flirtatious. Hated "getting caught". Tried to be a "good person" on the surface, but was riddled with bad karma. Enjoyed being independent but always wound up asking Daddy for money. Unable to take care of a pet. Actually matured as she got older, calmed down a bit, forgave some of her "sins", tried to move forward, and heal broken friendships. She gained a ton of weight. Financial: Lower class, but her father has cash. Work: Odd jobs, limited by poor educational background and social issues.
BREAKING NEWS: Not only did TV pitchman Billy Mays die, but comedian Fred Travalena died as well. Rumors of Miley Cyrus death were greatly exaggerated thanks to a Twitter prank.
I'm glad I work with Tashman Technologies' very own Captain Software II, who gives me the celebrity death updates every hour. He thinks that there is a cosmic conspiracy. First he said, "Deaths come in threes". Then he said, "Deaths come in fours". Now he says the whole world is messed up.
Here's a NEWSFLASH for everyone searching for death trends, I'm gonna say it nice and clear:
About 250,000 - 300,000 people die per day.
Again, about 250,000 - 300,000 people die in the world per day.
So STOP saying "wow another celebrity died today?whats going on?"
It really makes you sound like a message board mutant.
People are saying rapper Husalah is dead. Was he stabbed in jail 5-6 times? Is he still alive? Is this based on a lie? This is breaking news. Husalah is an original member of Mob Figaz, and very popular in the West Coast underground. He is known for his dark and gritty style, and was on Myspace.
So everyone wants to see the Michael Jackson death photos. Is there anything more important than Michael Jackson autopsy results?
Remember the DailySkew's MEDIA Scale of Importance and Media's Attention of Types of Deaths? Obviously a unique global pop icon is at the top of the list.
This past week alone, we've had the Jon and Kate overrated drama, North Korean threats, Iran Election Coverage, an Obama press conference where he tried to answer his Republican critics, the Governor of South Carolina cheat on his wife with the mysterious Maria, Ed McMahon died, Farrah Fawcett died the same day that Michael Jackson died, the Global Warming Bill, and dangling storylines like the Bernard Madoff trial and the Gitmo prisoners.
But Michael reigned supreme.
It's truly a news story that everyone can speak about and have an opinion about. It's an easy sell.
How about some coverage about the Pirates of Aden still holding around 220 sailors for ransom? Or some Iraq War death tolls? The corrupt Myanmar government? A push to free Laura Ling and Euna Lee?
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The reaction of Michael Jackson's death at Tashman Technologies was pretty harsh- and I don't mean the workers were sad. Although it certainly is a small sample, some workers' reactions did mirror the legions of message board mutants.
It seems as if a few workers could only focus on Michael Jackson's child molestation trials and his "weirdness" and plastic surgery. One worker said that Michael "jumped the shark" when he started to wear one glove.
Another worker lost respect for Michael when he began to bleach his skin and "try and turn white from being a black man". This person chose to remember Michael as a little boy with the Jackson Five.
Even Micheal's discography and production were attacked as well, with one worker calling him a "waste of talent".
But most of the personal attacks and ridicule focused on Michael the person, not Michael the artist. He wasn't even dead 24 hours and the crude sexual and racist jokes were in full swing. It was mayhem. Everyone had an opinion, but it was the men at Tashman who were truly unsympathetic and ruthless in their "Michael Jackson was overrated" rants.
Since the MEDIA coverage has been so intense and bombarding, this may be a reaction to attack the hype, but what they are really doing is bad karma. It's fueled by envy. Why spit on someone's grave?
Okay, as many of you know netbooks are a huge market now. Samsung, Dell, Acer, Hp-Mini, Asus, and others have flooded the market. There is no clear cut winner in this netbook war because if you combed through the thousands of netbook reviews and comments on the various forums you will see that each netbook has pros and cons. From my personal experience I can vouch for the Samsung NC120- I've had zero issues with it.
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TMZ is reporting that Michael Jackson has died at 50 from cardiac arrest. His father Joe Jackson initially spoke to TMZ today and said he was not doing well. New reports are still coming in, however, so this is a breaking news still in progress. Again, at this second, TMZ is the only source going on record..other news outlets are saying "coma".
I had been doing a lot of thinking about Michael Jackson lately, about his legacy, his work, and him still being around in 2009 but being a Howard Hughes-type recluse. And how he's pretty much a laughing stock in the U.S.
The criminal and civil trials, in addition to his eccentricities (germ phobia, plastic surgery, baby endangerment, eunuch, lawsuits, record label suits, etc.) and divorce really took away from his legend.
But he was a legend no matter what happened in later years.
From being a kid star to being a 1980's freakin' undisputed King of Pop, to making millions and millions until his death...
I've defended Jackson in the past because I don't think he ever had a chance to grow up. I didn't think he was a child molester, I just think he was a Peter Pan-type.
There's really no amount of tribute I could give him here, I'm sure for the next week you're going to be overexposed to every aspect of Michael Jackson's legacy, music, and life anyway.
He is an international household name, bigger than Santa Claus, and larger than life.
History will show that the 2009 Iranian election was illegitimate. Official government "counts" had it as a landslide victory for Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, but the people have spoken through demonstrations and protests which resulted in arrests and deaths. There is enough outrage to see that the election was not a landslide. Some say this was all a plan to "out" the "troublemakers".
Anyone who has been following Middle-East current events knows what Amadinejad is all about...he's about nuclear weapons, threatening Israel, oppressing Iranians, and slavery. He and his cohorts (his superiors and workers) have power while the people suffer. Civil rights and liberties are not in his vocabulary.
Large segments of the population are trying to express their displeasure. It's all over the Internet. For many, this was the first time they have been exposed to communicating via the Internet. This is a journalists dream: to have a forum where oppressed people can tell the world about the truth.
President Obama said the U.S. can't get involved, and he hopes the Iranian people work to change their government if they don't like it. Although Iran is a rogue nation, and has no diplomatic relations with the U.S., Obama said he respects their sovereignty.
Should be interesting to see how history will interpret this.
I mean, what can we do about Iran, right? Become the world's supervisor of elections? Overthrow the government and appoint a rebel leader? Occupy Iran? Pressure other countries to get involved? Fund the protesters with arms and money? Get behind and rally the nations to call for a "redo"? Get in touch with the dissent groups and formulate a plan? Write a letter to Iranian leaders asking to stop the violence? Spread the word?
You know as much as everyone is using Twitter and forums and blogs and YouTube to spread the word, it's only a matter of time before this news story goes away in the U.S., and gets filed away in the same section in the newspaper as those Somalian pirates.
Anyway, in the fairness of balance, here are comments from the do-nothing school of thought I found on the mutant forums:
"Iran... need[s] to feel like they are controlling their own government without outside influence and they should and should be. The rest of the world needs to keep it’s mouths shut so they will not be able to try and other for their own troubles. I mean they are already blaming the west for interfering. No, as far as I’m concerned we have already said too much and we just need to butt out and let them sort it out for themselves. The US and the rest of the world are not the all knowing saviors of the world, shoot look at us we have enough problems of our own, what makes us think we can offer any useful advise to anyone. How would the US feel if the republicans of the US got all pissed and threw a fit because they lost the election and started riots, protests and stuff?"
"Definitely the world is powerless to help Iran. If democracy has to flourish in Iran it must be that the overwhelming majority of the popoulation endorse it. Any move by the West or Obama will be highly criticised by those inside Iran as well as the Islamic world. The Republicans want Obama to fall into the same trap they fell into so they are criticising Obama, but Obama should be aware that he doesn’t repeat history and meddle in Iran’s affairs. Statements made by the West will be used as propaganda to further the cause of those in power in Iran therefore the West should add no fuel to an already volatile situation."
It is wrong for us to do *anything*, military, humanitarian or political, until there is one clear voice speaking. Then they need to be treated as any other country.
[Congress] said that the Iranian National Guard is a “terrorist” organization. Yet, Obama wants to now talk to and neogtiate with “terrorists.” If you were the Iranian President, would YOU trust the States?
Any attempt to intervene WHEN NOT INVITED by those in power will be met by strong resistance.The world already has enough inter-country conflicts and you don’t want this situation to escalate into one which it can if the Iranian government feels significantly threatened from the outside.
"In our country, we cannot accept that women be prisoners behind a screen, cut off from all social life, deprived of all identity. The burqa is not a religious sign, it's a sign of subservience, a sign of debasement—I want to say it solemnly. It will not be welcome on the territory of the French Republic."
In 2004 France enacted a law banning the Islamic headscarf and other conspicuous religious symbols from public schools.
Okay, bear with me here- I believe that all people should be free, and I believe in women's liberation. I don't think a husband forcing his wives (literally) to hide in public is cool; I think it's unhealthy, but that's from my own perspective here in sunny South Florida. I wasn't raised in that environment or society where it is socially accepted; I was raised in a liberal multicultural city. Heck, I think burqas are sick from here, but what do I know?
At the same time, I don't believe in forcing other countries to subscribe to my Western beliefs, or mixing up religion and politics like France is trying to do here.
It's ironic how liberated France wants to *impose* their view their view on other culture (there are 5 to 6 million Muslims in France).
On a much smaller scale it's kind of like an IT Frenchman I used to work with at Tashman Technologies; he was a cool, laid-back, liberated dude, until he was in control of the network. Once in control he imposed his will over us and became an Internet cop, checking cookies, banning mp3s, disabling access. Not a coincidence: secularism (atheism) is the religion of contemporary France, and my former co-worker was also against organized religion.
Kinda along the same wavelength are liberal democrats who believe in equality, justice, and an exchange of ideas- just as long as you don't listen to AM talk radio.
What's next, "liberating" nuns? What about the millions of women that like wearing the burqas, and don't see it as oppression? Does France really want to piss off Muslim extremists even more?
The truth is the powers-that-be in France are just hoping to see what's under the burqas. We all know France is "sexually liberated". They want to see this, yet are hiding behind an "enlightened morality":
The American Red Cross wrote some pro-blood donor lists to stop people from making "excuses" to avoid giving blood. Instead of just saying, "Hey folks, we know it hurts and is an inconvenience, but please help your fellow man", they have to get snarky, make you feel guilty, and try to make rebuttals for all the "excuses" we make.
With North Korea on the brink of causing World War III, allow me to re-rebuttal.
I don't like needles / I am scared of needles / I am afraid to give blood Nearly everyone feels that way at first. However, most donors will tell you that you feel only a slight initial pinch, and 7-10 minutes later, you are finished and headed for the canteen. If you take the time (and courage) to make one donation, you'll wonder why you ever hesitated.
NOT. Slight pinch? Maybe by someone who actually know what they are doing. Instead, I always get some 19-year old girl fresh out of her one-week vocational course who misses my vein and uses my like a pin-cushion.
I am too busy The entire process takes about an hour, and the actual blood donation time is only 7-10 minutes. If you stop to think that an hour of your time could mean a lifetime for a premature baby, someone with cancer undergoing chemotherapy, or someone who's had an accident, you might decide that you can make the time to give the gift of life.
An hour? Damn. Ya see I'm usually just trying to buy food at Publix on Friday night when you stop me and try and drag me in your van...An hour? Whew! That's asking for a lot! I get a cookie?
No-one ever asked me… I didn't realize my blood was needed Consider yourself asked! There is simply no other way to supply the blood needs of hospital patients but for the generous donations of people like you. Every two seconds someone in America needs blood. More than 38,000 donations are needed every day in communities across the U.S.
This is actually a fake FAQ. Everybody gets pressured and hounded in front supermarkets and malls. They are just as bad as the boy scouts and girl scouts.
I already gave this year You can give every 56 days. Many donors give 5 times a year!
Hey folks, I am not a crack head. I weigh 90 pounds and have marks on my arms because I donate my blood every 56 days. Yup, that's the ticket.
I am afraid I'll get AIDS It is not possible to get AIDS by donating blood to the American Red Cross. A new sterile needle is used for each donor and discarded afterwards.
Uh-huh. Then why are gays and lesbians banned from donating in some states?
My blood isn't the right type Every type of blood is needed daily to meet patient needs. If you have a common blood type, there are many patients who need it, so it is in high demand. If you have a less common blood type, there are fewer donors available to give it, so it is in short supply.
I'm pretty sure no one really uses this excuse.
I don't have any blood to spare The average adult body has 10-12 pints of blood. Doctors say that healthy adults may give regularly because the body quickly replaces the blood you donate.
Uhhm..like what if I have a medical condition? Underweight? Tired of medical assistant prodding and poking me?
I don't want to feel weak afterward Donating blood should not affect adversely a healthy adult because your body has plenty of blood. You will donate less than one pint, and your body, which constantly makes new blood, will replace the donated volume within 24 hours. Most people continue their usual activities after donating.
I've known people to THROW UP and FAINT.
They won't want my blood (I am too old / I've had an illness) If you have doubts, check with your physician. The qualified staff on duty at a blood drive or donor center will also review your medical history with you. There is no upper age limit to donate blood with the American Red Cross, and a great many medical conditions do not prevent you from donating blood, or may have done so only temporarily in the past.
Oh yeah? Okay, lemme check my "my physician" and I'll get right back to you.
I have a rare blood type, so I'll wait until there is a special need Blood that is rare or special is almost always in short supply. There is a constant need for these blood types in order to avoid having to recruit specific blood types in a crisis.
Again, no one uses this line.
*** Look, donating blood is cool...if I didn't have such an aversion to getting needles, I would do it. I sure wish I had the courage to sacrifice one hour+ of discomfort, but I just don't have faith in the System that my blood will actually be used or the "qualified" people in the van.
I get knocked out for hours when I give up blood, and it feels like a continuous bee-sting when I'm getting drained. Yeah, I feel guilty about it, I do. But in the end...I'll have to pass. If I listened and obeyed every not-for-profit group (save children in Africa, save the rain forests, stop global warming, stop animal abuse, fight AIDS, etc.) I'd be even more broke and totally spread too thin.
PETA wasn't the only group protesting Obama's brutal murder of a fly.
The DailySkew has received comments from our correspondents out in the field:
The Shark King had this to say:
"Keep it up..keep it up..."
King Gator:
"I don't even waste my time with flies. I like bigger catches..."
Mad Monk:
"We should strive for compassion for all living things. Why? Based on the laws of karma and rebirth, that fly could have been Obama's mother, father, son, daughter, wife, husband, brother, sister, or best friend in a previous lifetime. That fly could have been reaching out to him, with some vague or distant remembrance. And what does he do? Because his train of thought was disrupted- because this insecure politician was being EMBARRASSED by a FLY- he not only killed it, but he mocked its death, and stepped on the dead body, much to the glee of the @$$-kissers in the audience. His intentions were selfish; he believed his meaningless words were more important than that fly's life. All bets are off now."
Damian says: My views on the killing of insects are well known. As for the message board mafia, keep spinning, babies. Keep spinning.
Selected mutant responses:
"I guess no one from PETA drives a car. Think of all the bugs that needlessly die when they are driving to and from work."
"It is typical of Peta to react this way. Don't they realize where flies like to go? To nasty, bacterial filled, rotting material and can spread horrible diseases? Most people would have done the same thing Obama did. And he got it on the first try."
"Last I read, PETA was the one doing all the killing. I think I saw it at www.PETAKillsAnimals.com"
"It wouldn't surprise me to see Republicans defend the fly and use this as ammunition against Obama. Fifty bucks this swatting episode turns political."
"If my memory serves me correctly a "house fly" is an insect - Musca domestica, is the most common of all flies flying in homes, and indeed one of the most widely distributed insects; it is often considered a pest that can carry serious diseases. PETA has no cause to accuse the President of killing an animal and should be sued for wasting funds on such frivolous accusations!"
"We need to look at the real issue here. It's not that our President has been caught murdering a fly, but what else is it that lurks in that dark, vicious mind of his? I bet it all started a long time ago when he had his first fishing experience, running that hook through the poor worm's body, all the time laughing and making fun of it while it screamed in agony, or was it the first experience that he had chasing fire flies at night, catching them and pulling their wings off, of heaven forbid, did he squeeze their little lights off or tie strings to them? The man is a menace to society. We must send him to some gov't diversity training or else, he may soon be trampling and walking on the rights of ants and cockroaches."
"Wasn't it at about this point in Carter's Presidency when he killed the rabbit that attacked his canoe?
Where was PETA then?"
"Are People Embarrassing Tidewater Area (PETA) at it again? Maybe they should all take a July 4th trip to a small island off Hawaii and try to intercept that missle North Korea is about to launch, all for the sake of saving the jungle bugs."
"It has been postulated that the insect may not have been a fly but a BUG implanted by some other itinerant organization wanting to blame PETA. Do I smell conspiracy?"
Recession? What recession? It cost $1,500 per person to see him speak. Former President Bush spoke in front of "local businessmen".
"I know it's going to be the private sector that leads this country out of the current economic times we're in. You can spend your money better than the government can spend your money.
Government does not create wealth. The major role for the government is to create an environment where people take risks to expand the job rate in the United States."
On the origin of the Financial Crisis:
"I [was] told, 'If you do not move strongly, Mr. President, you will be a president overseeing a depression that will ultimately be greater than the Great Depression. I firmly believe it was necessary to put money in our banks to make sure our financial system did not collapse. I did not want there to be bread lines, to be a great depression.
We tried to reform [Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac] but couldn't get it through the vested interests on Capitol Hill."
On healthcare:
"There are a lot of ways to remedy the situation without nationalizing health care. I worry about encouraging the government to replace the private sector when it comes to providing insurance for health care."
On Gitmo:
"The way I decided to address [enemy combatants] was twofold: One, use every technique and tool within the law to bring terrorists to justice before they strike again.
I'll just tell you that there are people at Gitmo that will kill American people at a drop of a hat and I don't believe that persuasion isn't going to work. Therapy isn't going to cause terrorists to change their mind."
The following news story (I found via Drudge, see he's not all bad) is one of the clearest examples of Tony Vahl and Damian Hospital's term: LME.
GARY, Ind. (CBS) ― A 26-year-old convenience store clerk was shot and killed in broad daylight in Gary, Ind., and police say witnesses stood by and did nothing...
...When asked what he finds most disturbing about the surveillance footage, Titus said, "The fact that people went in and out of the store and didn't call police. There is a man laying there. Nobody thinks to dial 911 or check to see if he's OK or anything."
One of the rules of LME is not to get involved with events that do not directly effect you (or so you think- Peter Parker let a thief run by him while ignoring a policeman's call for help; the thief wound up killing his Uncle Ben).
The people here in this store wanted no part of being a witness or giving their names or dealing with anything that would have inconvenienced them.
Other rules of LME seen here:
1) Assuming. I'm sure someone assumed "somebody else" called 911. 2) Single track mind and selfishness: You go to the store to shop. You must get your item for yourself of for your family. Anything else- anything- can't get in the way of that goal. I can imagine one of them going home and telling his wife, "Hey honey, some clerk got shot at the store." And his wife replies, "Really? Well did you get my cigarettes?" 3) Racism. The late clerk's name was Gurjeet Singh. 'nuff said.
It's also like we've become desensitized to crime and death- unless it happens to someone we care about. I also think that people look down upon Indian or Arab clerks. I can't imagine people just standing around or continuing to shop before the 1980's. (If someone wants to search old newspapers online and lemme know, that would be cool and an enlightening experience.)
I don't know if you've seen the advertisements or "news stories" this past month, but I just wanted to (carefully and legally) bring it up here-
Basically the advertisement is about a woman who has a $$$$$$$$ check from Google, and all you have to do is send her a $1 to for the "kit".
All I have to say is that if you enjoy infomercials at 2:30AM, and love the feeling of hope that a lottery ticket brings you (until the drawing), you will love this kit.
I already read quite a few real testimonials...without endorsing these testimonials, the word "scam", "overseas", and "keep withdrawing from my bank account" kept coming up.
My first exposure with this current gimmick was on DrudgeReport. Now I see the ad all over the place, even on allegedly techno-communistic sites that give Java scripts away for free and other code. I clicked on one of the ads and saw how the browser checked my IP address and generated a fake newspaper webpage based on my state, trying to give me the impression that it was a legit news story.
Speaking of which....again, without listing names, if you get your "news" from certain e-mail providers, many of their articles are simply ads, like "Top 10 Laptops".
Seems like everyone is selling, and many people are buying. At only $1 there doesn't seem to be a risk...but...just be careful.
You can find out about Google AdSense for free straight from Google. Heck, Google even has free tutorials about making your websites Search Engine Optimized to make money using AdSense. Guess what folks? It takes TIME and effort. You don't need to be paying for kits that promise overnight money.
You have seen the trendy car insurance commercials, you get the snail mail stuffed in your mail box, and you already have car insurance. However, maybe it time to compare insurance quotes online and see if you are really getting the best coverage at the lowest price. In this current economy, you have to try and cut costs as much as possible.
RPG Maker VX is a powerful game creator that enables you to create role-playing games from scratch. They can be as simple or complex as you need them to be. The final result is usually role playing games that look and feel like SNES RPGs like Final Fantasy III, although if you have training in graphic design you can push the graphics to Chrono Trigger.
You don't need programming experience, and many common commands have been simplified from previous versions, such as transferring to one map to another, shop keeper processing, and treasure chests.
Even with some simplified commands, you still are in effect programming (even though it's called video game design). It is 100% necessary to check out the RPG Maker VX tutorials on rpgmakervx.net and rpgrevolution.com, and to practice-practice-practice making events, conditions, and maps.
Once you create your game, you can share it with others and get it critiqued, and/or sell it. Since you design the game balance, you can also have fun playing your own RPG or give it to your kids or friends.
There are no limits to your creativity. If you feel the existing battle system is limiting, community members have written scripts that import into the program (this is by design).
This is a program that truly requires sleepless nights or at least to work on it for an hour a day, and maybe you'd make a good game in a year. It does hit the creative section of your brain.
One thing that dampers the experience is that 1) you have to worry about copyright laws if you use other artists background music, graphics, or characters (but you are safe if you just use the default or create your own music and graphics); and 2) even the highest rated custom-made game in the community has some issues when compared to the Nintendo RPGs of the SNES era. Many completed games are cookie cut.
The hardest part is learning how to create "switches", "conditional branches", and "control variables". Creating maps is a lot simpler than one would expect. Creating original, breath-taking maps, however, probably requires custom-made tilesets.
It could be argued that RPG Maker VX is a step-backwards to RPG Maker XP when it comes to default battle system, graphics, and map tile sets, but is much more user friendly and has more features.
I highly recommend it for aspiring video game designers or hobbyists. Unlike other game maker games, this is actually FUN, believe it or not. As long as you have patience to deal with the learning curve and play-testing (and have writing ability) you will really enjoy creating an RPG, even if it's for your own personal use.
If you are searching for a Frisco Dentist there are a few things to consider in making your decision. First impressions mean a lot, so your conversation with the office receptionist is telling. Secondly, how easy is it to make the schedule and is it in a good time frame? Once you arrive, hopefully the office is clean. Of course, the most important thing is how the dentist and his staff is able to help your teeth.
Ben, 7, had a bad temper and his family would get frustrated with his tantrums. Ben was an obedient child, but was prone to outbursts of anger. So one day his grandfather gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper, he should hammer a nail in the fence in their backyard.
Day One: Ben had driven 37 nails into the fence.
Eventually, the number of nails he hammered each day decreased.
Yes, it's true; Ben actually realized that it was easier to hold his temper than to hammer all of those nails into the fence.
After seven months, the day finally came when Ben didn't lose his temper at all. So he proudly told his grandfather about it, and he nodded his head and suggested that from now on Ben should pull out one nail for each day that he was able to hold his temper.
Months later, Ben ran to his grandfather, and exclaimed that all of the nails were gone! So the grandfather took Ben by the hand and led him to the fence in the back of their house.
"You have done well, Ben; I am proud of you; but look at the holes in the fence. This fence will never be the same. When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one. You can put a knife in a man and draw it out, it won't matter how many times you say 'I'm sorry', the wound is still there."
Ben's face got red, and the power of the old man's words hit him like a tone of bricks.
Ben would remember that day, and thanks to his lesson, he passed that story to his own son.
*** Let's discuss some themes in this story, which I rewrote/remixed from an old Buddhist parable.
Why is anger wrong?
Anger leads to being SKEWED. It results in bigotry, hatred, violence, hurtful language, and even murder (do happy people murder others?). If we get into a pattern of getting frustrated easily and are angry at people or things we can't control, we lash out at "THEM", and feel miserable. Being angry is not a nice feeling. It's like saying you enjoy cutting your fingers off.
When we are angry we exaggerate, paint ourselves as victims, and can justify any action, including hateful language and physical violence. We stay miserable. Our attitude of ourselves, other people, and society become skewed. Life is no longer a fun place. We become attached to the feeling of being an outcast or being right or expecting people to act in according to your wishes. Anger is a strong root of suffering in this world.
**
If there is an injustice, can there be "righteous anger"? Well, can there be "righteous cancer"? It's a disease, it really is. Can there be "justifiable anger"? I personally think as long as you invite the feeling over for a cup of tea, listen to what it is saying, and when wish it well on the way out, you should be set. In other words, be aware of anger's presence, the reasons why you feel angry, but just let it go, dude. And don't get tricked in thinking it left, either, because it can plant seeds of negativity in your mind.
We lack the perception to see the world as it really is. If we existed in the sky and looked down upon the Earth since the dawn of time, we would see how insignificant "injustice" is. If we could see how we continue to be reborn into other life forms, we would see how our sense of self- the ego- is NOT a permanent thing; we wouldn't be attached to it. We would not be afraid of death. We would be free.
Instead we let people, opinions, and injustices get to us...they change our mentality and ruin our days. Most of the time it's subconscious. Some people I know tell me that they never get angry! Sounds like denial, a lack of awareness, or shame, if you ask me. The same people that tell me they don't get angry are the ones shouting at their daughter over the phone for getting a flat tire again.
Hurtful language is not forgotten. Violence forgotten. You can try to make reparations, try to do the right thing, but it still happened. You have to move on, and try not not let it happen again. Abstaining from things that lead to anger helps.
If this all sounds like common sense to you, let's avoid getting angry. Practice patience. Practice Acceptance (tm).
Jim Buckmaster (craigslist) says that craigslist reflects society at large:
“It was recently pointed out to us that with literally billions of positive human interactions facilitated by Craigslist, it is quite remarkable how little crime is associated with the site, given the much higher crime rates that exist in the world at large – which is a testament to the good intentions of the vast majority of Craigslist users,” he wrote via e-mail.
MEANWHILE, the murders, rapes, scams, robberies, drug dealing, fencing, and prostitution continue. Now that craigslist was forced to ask "escorts" for their phone numbers before posting on the U.S. adult section (formally known as erotic services), many prostitutes have been 1) posting in the "casual encounters" free section (which is "moderated" by readers; 2) moved to backpage.com; and 3) posted at R.A.W.'s blog.
The mutants will continue to spill in other places. None of their intentions are "good", Mr. Buckmaster.
News conference Monday...around 24 cats have been brutally tortured and buttered beyond imagination. The serial cat killer has terrorized families. Let's hope it stops now.
The suspect, Tyler Weinman, is a typical 18-year old Floridian: Facebook, Myspace, and cannabis. He was also part of an online group called "Catch the Cat Killer!".
His parents are divorced, and he split time with them. His location at the two different addresses allegedly coincided with the feline attacks. He may not have worked alone.
Let's hope there is real evidence, though, as I would hate for an innocent man to go to prison. I have a feeling a teen like him had an electronic trail and told his friends.
I'm sure he's not liking his holding cell right now. He'd really better watch himself, Bubba usually likes kittens.
Here's my parody on JustinTV, YouTube, lifecasting, and the Internet. What do you guys think? Mentioned in this video: Max Headroom, The Matrix, microphones, and stuffed animals.
Let me know what else you want and I'll try and put a skit, interview, or news brief for you one of these days.
The mainstream U.S. MEDIA will no longer report it, but the DailySkew will.
The Somalian pirates are still active. The only "good" news is that NATO has agreed to extend its short term missions for a while.
While they figure it out, the current totals are:
14 ships being held in the Indian Ocean or Gulf of Aden or the Somalian cost
200+ crewmen stuck there until their home country or boss pays a million dollars or more
44 successful sea-jackings this year
49 captured ships last year
126 attacks in 2009
MEANWHILE, Abdiwali Abdiqadir Muse, the sole survivor of the U.S. and pirate shootout, had lied about his age when captured by the U.S. He went from being 15 to 16 to 19 to 26 and then back to 18.
His mother said:
"I appeal to President Obama to pardon my teenager; I request him to release my son or at least allow me to see him and be with him during the trial."
His father said:
"He just went with them without knowing what he was getting into."
Insert Damian's RANT:
Because he is "scrawny" and a "teen" and the product of an 3rd world black country, I'm sure he will get a lot of sympathy from certain groups in the U.S.
Take a look how the AP described him when he arrived in New York for his hearing:
"The 5-foot-2 Muse looked bewildered and so scrawny that his prison clothes were several sizes too big. He had a frayed white bandage where he was stabbed."
And here's the ultra-left wing excuse for everything in the fu$@$%@ up world:
"Abdiwali Abdiqadir Muse grew up destitute in Somalia, the oldest of 12 children and the product of a violent, lawless nation where his parents scraped together a few dollars a day selling milk and tending to a small herd of camels, cows and goats."
The first time I had my bag of lunch stolen in Junior High School in New York from my gym locker, my grandmother told me, "Maybe they were hungry and didn't have a family to make them lunch." There is some wisdom in her words, but they are illogical and excuse criminal and immoral behavior in society.
Side notes: my gym coach gave me 3 bucks for hot lunch. I wound up getting a mediocre grade in gym because I was with a bunch of hoodlums who threatened me all the time when I messed up a volleyball service and missed soccer kicks. I'm sure they all had Abdiwali Abdiqadir Muse excuses in life for being like that.
Buddhist thoughts: I'm ignorant and too attached to my illusion of self. I should let people steal my lunch and pirates run free. After all what is materialism? My grandmother was right.
Although GameHouse's Scrabble blew me away, Monopoly comes up kinda short only because of the nature of the game and game AI. Once you realize that you or the computer can't buy property to make monopolies to build houses, it's kinda lame and all subject to the dice roll.
At least humans can make irrational and fun trades, but the computer AI won't.
The Good:
Fun at beginner and medium at first.
Looks and acts just like the board, with selectable house rules.
The Bad:
Same as real life, games last too long, and once all properties are bought, that's it- it's all about wearing your opponent out for an hour.
The Tycoon difficulty level clearly gives the computer better dice rolls (they will always land on the ONE property they own on a row instead of yours) and better Chance cards. Lame.
Trade AI is from 1993.
Conclusion: Only good for a addictive few spins for solo play. Play the board game with your family instead.
I don't like needles / I am scared of needles / I am afraid to give blood Nearly everyone feels that way at first. However, most donors will tell you that you feel only a slight initial pinch, and 7-10 minutes later, you are finished and headed for the canteen. If you take the time (and courage) to make one donation, you'll wonder why you ever hesitated.
I am too busy The entire process takes about an hour, and the actual blood donation time is only 7-10 minutes. If you stop to think that an hour of your time could mean a lifetime for a premature baby, someone with cancer undergoing chemotherapy, or someone who's had an accident, you might decide that you can make the time to give the gift of life.
No-one ever asked me… I didn't realize my blood was needed
I already gave this year You can give every 56 days. Many donors give 5 times a year!
I am afraid I'll get AIDS It is not possible to get AIDS by donating blood to the American Red Cross. A new sterile needle is used for each donor and discarded afterwards.
My blood isn't the right type Every type of blood is needed daily to meet patient needs. If you have a common blood type, there are many patients who need it, so it is in high demand. If you have a less common blood type, there are fewer donors available to give it, so it is in short supply.
I don't have any blood to spare The average adult body has 10-12 pints of blood. Doctors say that healthy adults may give regularly because the body quickly replaces the blood you donate.
I don't want to feel weak afterward Donating blood should not affect adversely a healthy adult because your body has plenty of blood. You will donate less than one pint, and your body, which constantly makes new blood, will replace the donated volume within 24 hours. Most people continue their usual activities after donating.
They won't want my blood (I am too old / I've had an illness) If you have doubts, check with your physician. The qualified staff on duty at a blood drive or donor center will also review your medical history with you. There is no upper age limit to donate blood with the American Red Cross, and a great many medical conditions do not prevent you from donating blood, or may have done so only temporarily in the past.
I have a rare blood type, so I'll wait until there is a special need Blood that is rare or special is almost always in short supply. There is a constant need for these blood types in order to avoid having to recruit specific blood types in a crisis.
